two queers

Eleanor Rigby died in the church
and was buried along with her name.
Nobody came.
Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands
as he walks from the grave.
No one was saved.

John Lennon reportedly once described Eleanor Rigby as a song about 'two queers.' Two lonely people who meet only at the end of life.

I thought about people who keep a face by the door, and pick up the rice scattered at other people's weddings; people who struggle to be heard, and who must be their own companion. I thought about loneliness as I sat in my coat in the church sanctuary last night, listening to members of an small inclusive fellowship describe their struggle to accept and be accepted in their sexual orientation. "Conviction," Marcelo said, "you must have conviction of your value and dignity."

Ai, Dios
, that we the church, the body(s) of Christ, have managed to destroy the truth and joy of the lives of others and our own.

Marcella Althaus-Reid (and this would be better if I could find the reference) says something like, all Christians should aim to be queer - willing to distort doctrines and dogmas, and to get lost in the maze of faith. So, I ask, is the church ready to embrace it's queerness? To hear unspoken names, to build arches for queer lovers, and to be home for all the lonely people?

"Two queers," said John, "belong."
For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:20)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Realistically the answer is NEVER. The Church is founded on exclusion, on judging others and finding them lacking. If a few congregations accept gays (wow! they are just like people!), then other congregations respond by trying to expel those congregations or if that fails, secede themselves.

Gays can hide the fact that they are gay (generally we look and act pretty much like everyone else, and friends will give us the "benefit of the doubt" and assume that we are straight). Women can't hide the fact that they are women. In all these centuries women STILL have not been fully accepted in the Church. Why would you think gays will ever be accepted? (Even Bill Clinton, a "liberal" President, signed the "Defense of Marriage" Act. To make the country safer and all...).

Groups define themselves by excluding others. Look at what kids do when they form a club. The first thing they want to discuss is who is NOT eligible to be in their club. The Church is the same way. And the Jews of the Old Testament were the same (read Deuteronomy on who is and who is not a member of the Tribe).
Rachel said…
Thanks for stopping by bjr.Good to read your perspective.

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